Modern electronic integrated circuit devices can include hundreds of millions of device components and signal nodes that interconnect the device components. As the complexity of integrated circuits continues to increase, advanced design methodology and advanced automation are employed to increase the productivity of the circuit designers who implement these devices. One type of automation commonly utilized today is a tool known as a signal auto-router. Routing involves defining the signal nodes that conduct signals between the device components that make up the design. Auto-routers automatically synthesize these signal nodes.
Automated routing algorithms, especially when combined with automated device component placement algorithms, are complex. The density of the device components, the large number of signal nodes, and other layout blockages or obstructions can lead to significant congestion of the signal node routing conductors which can result in excessively long or circuitous routing paths for signal nodes, and thus lower design performance. Further, optimizing the routing of a large number of conductors is a difficult and time-consuming task. Accordingly, an improved technique for optimizing signal routing would be advantageous.